Encoded card employing fiber optic elements

ABSTRACT

An encoded card having a layer of light-transmitting elements such as fibers extending between two edges, the fibers being individually capable of transmitting magnetic radiant energy, in the visible, ultraviolet or infrared spectral regions. The ends of the energy-transmitting fibers along at least one edge of the card are irregularly arranged in a linear information-related pattern which is decoded into discrete information such as numbers, letters or words by transmitting electromagnetic radiation, such as visible or invisible light through the fibers and sensing and decoding the transmitted pattern. The card is encoded either by selectively placing the fibers; or by cutting, removing, or otherwise impairing the energy-transmitting ability of selected fibers.

United Stat Borough et a].

[ Apr. 17, 1973 ENCODED CARD EMPLOYING FIBER OPTIC ELEMENTS [75]Inventors: Howard C. Borough, Seattle, Wash.;

Donald A. Pontarelli, Chicago, 111.

[73] Assignee: Bliss & Laughlin Industries, Incorporated, Oak Brook,[11.

[22] Filed: Sept. 29, 1970 [2]] Appl. N0.: 76,523

[52] US. Cl...235/6l.l2 N, 235/6l.1l E, 250/219 D, 250/227, 350/96 B[51] Int. Cl. ..G06b 5/16, G06k 7/10, G06k 19/06 UNlTED STATES PATENTS3,241,986 3/1966 Jerger ..350/96 B 3,335,265 8/1967 Apfelbaum ct a1.......235/6l.1 E 3,470,359 9/1969 Esterly ..235/6l.12 R

Primary Examiner-Maynard R. Wilbur Assistant Examiner-Thomas J1 SloyanAttorney-Davis, Lucas, Brewer & Brugman [5 7 ABSTRACT An encoded cardhaving a layer of light-transmitting elements such as fibers extendingbetween two edges, the fibers being individually capable of transmittingmagnetic radiant energy, in the visible, ultraviolet or infraredspectral regions.

The ends of the energy-transmitting fibers along at least one edge ofthe card are irregularly arranged in a linear information-relatedpattern which is decoded into discrete information such as numbers,letters or words by transmitting electromagnetic radiation, such asvisible or invisible light through the fibers and sensing and decodingthe transmitted pattern. The card is encoded either by selectivelyplacing the fibers; or by cutting, removing, or otherwise impairing theenergy-transmitting ability of selected fibers.

8 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures 70 READ-OUT 2,177,077 l0/1939 Potts..235/61.l1 E

2,939,016 5/1960 Cannon ..250/219 D 3,101,411 8/1963 Richards........350/96 B 3,125,812 3/1964 Simpson ..350/96 B 3,163,758 12/1964Treacy ..235/6Lll E a. QR

ENCODED CARD EMPLOYING FIBER OPTIC ELEMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONEncoded cards such as conventional credit cards, identification cards,parking lot passes, and railway commuter tickets, store information bymeans of embossing, magnetic ink records, printed data, and punchedholes. Embossed and punched cards are decoded by mechanical feelers andelectrical styli, which limit card life. Magnetic ink and printed datacan be removed or mutilated. All such cards have been successfullycounterfeited.

There is a need for a encoded card which can be decoded without physicalcontact, which is not easily mutilated, and which is very difficult tocounterfeit.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general object of this invention isto provide an encoded card capable of transmitting energy such aselectromagnetic radiation in the visible, ultraviolet or infraredspectral region, from one edge to another where it appears in adecodable pattern.

A specific object of this invention is to provide an encoded card suchas a credit or identification card having a series of light-transmittingfibers extending from one edge to another and arranged to containinformation which can be read by transmitting light edgewise through thecard and decoding the resulting pattern of lighted and unlighted areas.

Another object is to provide a fiber optics card having a plurality oflight-transmitting fibers extending from one edge to another and whichhas been encoded by selective placement of the fibers, or by selectiveimpairment of the light-transmitting ability of certain of the fibers,to conduct light from one edge to the other in an intelligent, decodablepattern.

Another object is to provide an encoded fiber optics card which can bedecoded without contact and which is very difficult to counterfeit.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an encoded fiber optics cardillustrating a preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a card in which thelight-transmitting ability of certain fibers has been impaired ormodified in several alternate ways;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a card encoded byarranging individual light-transmitting fibers in unique patterns as aresult of the selective placement or removal of entire fibers;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary edge view of an encoded card withlight-transmitting fibers arranged in groups displaying binary numberedinformation;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary edge view of FIG. l, in which an individuallight-transmitting fiber is shown as a monofilament rod, or light pipe;

FIG. 5A is an exploded view of FIG. 5, before lamination;

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, in which the light-transmitting fibercomprises multiple small-diameter lighttransmitting filaments;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-section of a laminated fiber optics cardhaving a light-transmitting fiber core sheet between sheets ofnon-transmitting material, en-

coded by punching out a section of the fiber core sheet;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section of FIG. 7, taken along the line 8-8, showingin plan view the punched-out portion of the fiber core sheet;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary edge view of the card taken along the line 9-9of FIG. 8 and showing the light and dark pattern which would betransmitted edgewise through the card where the energy transmitted isvisible light;

FIG. 10 is a perspective, schematic view of the card of FIG. I, placedin one form of reader;

FIG. 10A is a schematic plan view of a modified form of encoded card, ina reader similar to that shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 10B is another modified form of card;

FIG. 1 l is a perspective schematic view of the card of FIG. 1, in amovable reader; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a laminated form of fiber optics cardemploying multiple layers of coded light-transmitting fibers.

Like parts are referred to by like reference characters throughout thedrawings.

Depending on the material from which the energytransmitting fibers aremade, an encoded card in accordance with this invention can be read by adecoder using visible light, or invisible light in the ultraviolet orinfrared spectral ranges. This specific disclosure will be limited tovisible light-transmitting fibers.

For the light-transmitting fibers to function with light in the visiblespectral region (wave lengths of 4,000 7,000 Angstrom Units), the fiberswill be made of glass, or plastics such as polymerized methylmethacrylate LUCITE") or polystyrene. As is usual practice, each suchfiber will preferably, but not necessarily, have alower-refractive-index cladding of glass or plastics. Optical fibers arecladded to maximize light transmission and minimize crosstalk betweenfibers. The cladding must be compatible with the fiber core,particularly with respect to expansion coefficients, and must show nodeterioration with use or age.

For the light-transmitting fibers to function with invisible light inthe ultraviolet spectral region (wave lengths below 4,000 AngstromUnits), the fibers may be quartz with an appropriate cladding. Oneparticular grade of quartz, produced under the trade name, SUPRASIL," byEnglehard Industries Inc., Newark, NJ can be fabricated into fibersusable in the present invention. It transmits visible light andultraviolet light to wave lengths of 1,840 Angstrom Units. Especiallygood cladding materials for quartz are MgF LiF, CaF, and a liquidpreparation known in the trade as Type 176-C-l98 SUPERTHER Coatmanufactured by the Standard T Chemical Co., of New York City, N.Y.

For the light-transmitting fibers to function with invisible light inthe infrared spectral region (wave lengths above 7,000 Angstrom Units),the fibers may be quartz, as described above, which transmits to varyingdegrees in both infrared and ultraviolet regions, as well as the visibleregion. Two types of glasses, metallic oxide and nonoxide, are used forinfrared fiber optics. The oxide glasses transmit most of the visiblespectrum, whereas most of the nonoxide glasses do not. Glasses of themetallic oxide types which are used extensively for infraredtransmission are commonly known in the trade as Types [R442 and DBF6I,the cladding for these glasses being soda lime tubing. Fibers made fromthese glasses, and with this cladding, having useful transmission atwave lengths from 4,000 to 50,000 Angstrom Units. Hollow metal wirefibers, preferably highly polished or plated internally, may be used totransmit infrared radiation. I

By using suitable optical filters on the card to filter out visiblelight, the card can be read only in a special decoder with a particularrange of wave lengths of ultraviolet or infrared radiation.

Any counterfeit card not identically filtered would be rejected by sucha special decoder.

The encoded cards described in connection with the drawings are allexamples which transmit visible light through optical fibers. It shouldbe understood that encoded cards employing the invention may functionwith ultraviolet or infrared light conductive fiber materials such asmetal wire.

The embodiments disclosed in the drawings will now be described.

The card shown in FIG. 1 is a fiat sheet comprising a body 20 havinglong edges 22, 24 and short edges 26, 28. The body has a plurality ofparallel light-transmitting fibers 30. The body is preferably toughplastics material having a substantially lower light-transmittingability than the fibers 30. It may be opaque or colored to contrast withthe fibers. Each fiber 30 is of optical material and may be amonofilament element such as a single glass or plastics filament, rod orpipe as shown in FIG. 5. Or, each fiber may be a bundle 34 ofmultifilament optical elements 38 as shown in FIG. 6.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, a continuous sheet 36 ofsmall-diameter light-transmitting filaments 40 may be used, withportions removed at locations such as 42, to impair the transmission oflight from one edge of the card to the other. This produces a light anddark pattern as shown in FIG. 9. The light-transmitting fibers are thecontinuous (uncut) bundles of small filaments 40.

The card may be manufactured by any suitable laminating process. This isnot part of the present invention so will not be described in detail.Briefly, and referring to FIG. A,. asheet 44 having light-transmittingfibers 30 in a body or matrix 46. may be laminated by conventional hotpressure or adhesive techniques between cover sheets 48 and 50. Thecover sheets and the matrix 46 may be of the same plastics v mittingfibers 30. This is merely by way of illustration and not by way oflimitation because in actual practice each card may have from 10 to 600fibers, each comprising a separately readable information channel.

' Light-transmitting fibers may have a wide variety of sizes and shapes.Fibers varying from 0.003" to 0.010" in thickness provide a practicalcompromise between the maximum number of fibers per inch and the maximumlight-transmission per fiber. For fuller explanation of the manner inwhich light is transmitted by optical fibers from point to point, referto FIBER OP- TICS, PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS by N. S. Kapany, 1967Edition, published by Academic Press, New York City, N.Y.

tinuous by coding). The card is encoded by individually I I cutting,darkening, partially removing, or otherwise impairing thelight-transmitting ability of selected fibers. In FIG. 1, 52 indicates afiber which is continuous and capable of transmitting light from oneedge of the card to the other; 54 is a fiber which is discontinuous inthe area 56 and therefore incapable of transmitting full intensitylight. This area 56, as well as area 42 in FIG. 7, may be filled withopaque material if desired to completely block light transmission formaximum contrast.

Various ways of modifying, impairing or blocking the light-transmittingability of selected fibers are shown in card 58 (FIG. 2). Fiber 60 iscut, with the cut ends transversely displaced. A portion of fiber 62 isdarkened or made opaque by localized heat or radiation, for whichpurpose a special heator radiation-sensitive material may beincorporated in the fiber. Fiber 64 is cut or pinched by heat orpressure to reduce its effective cross-section. Fiber 66 has'an entiresection cut and removed similar to the section 56 in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 3, a card 68 has eight light-transmitting fibers 70 spaced in apredetermined pattern. Such a card, manufactured in this mannerinitially, would be difficult to counterfeit. '3

Cards are decoded by'illuminating one edge, sensing the lighted andunlighted fiber ends along another edge with a photo-sensor, and sendingthe output signal to a decoder and a visual readout, or to a computerthrough a proper'interface. Visual readout has the advantageof low costand size and could be put in small scale operations, such as gasolinestations and small stores. Sending the signal to a central computerallows checking against hot card lists, and central data banks. I I

A fiber optics card according to this invention may be read whilestationary; or when either the card or reader is moved relative tothe'other. e I A stationary reading apparatus is shown in FIGI IO wherea 19-fiber card 72 is placed between a light source 74 and aphoto-sensor reader 76. Card '72 is similar to card 20 except that lighttransmission in four specific fibers hasbeen impaired. Normally, thelight source and reader will be close to-the card, but in FIG; 10 areslightly withdrawn to clarify the illustration. v

The light source 74 comprises 19 fiber optics rods or light pipes 78,each having an end aligned with one of the card fibers 30. At the otherend of each light pipe 78 is a high-intensity miniature lamp 82.Alternatively, the entire light source 74 may-be a single elongated,high-intensity lamp (not shown).

The reader 73 has nineteen photo detectors 7.9 aligned with the ends 80of light pipes 78 and with card fibers 30. Conventional circuitry (notshown) identifies each information-related linear pattern'of lighted andunlighted fibers 30 along the edge of the card and places a signal inoutput line 92 (or a plurality of lines 92) to identify the numbers,letters orother information represented by such encoded pattern. Thisinformation is used or displayed in a conventional readout and thereforenot specifically shown.

Counting from the left to right in FIG. 10, light transmission throughthe third, ninth, 13th and 15th fibers 30 in card 72 is impaired bycutouts 84, 86, 88 and 90. The pattern of lighted and unlighted fiberends which the reader 76 sees will be unique for each differently codedcard.

If fibers 30 are of small cross-section, 0.003 inch or less, the readercircuit may require amplification to bring the signal in line 92 up to ausable value.

FIG. A shows a modified card 81 in which fibers 83 extend innon-parallel, random arrangement between the input edge 85 and theoutput edge 87. Among the applications for this arrangement is arailroad commuter monthly pass system in which the light source andreader could be reprogrammed several times during the month, daily ifnecessary, to verify bona fide cards and reject expired and counterfeitcards. For example, and counting from left to right in FIG. 10A, thelight source 74 could be programmed by illuminating only the first,third, seventh and llth lamps, at the same time, the reader 76 could beprogrammed to verify the card only if it senses the third, fourth, ninthand l5th lighted fiber ends while all other positions are unlighted. Thelight source and reader could be reprogrammed, if necessary, to verifyother combinations of fibers in the same card.

FIG. 108 shows another modified card 224 in which the input and outputends of fibers 226 and 228 (which may be in the same or separate levels)are in non-opposed edges of the card. The fibers may be encoded byselectively impairing or darkening them.

Reading apparatus 94 in which the card 72 is scanned upon relativemovement between the card and a scanner is shown in FIG. 11. Forcomparison with FIG. 10, the same card 72 is shown. Whether the cardmoves or the reader moves is of no significance as long as there isrelative movement. A suitable reader is shown here merely as oneexample. This will now be described in detail.

Card 72 in FIG. 11 is held stationary by a support not shown. A scanningreader 96 has a generally U-shaped housing and moves (by means notshown) from left to right in the direction of arrow 98, along the card.The housing end portion 100 has a miniature high-intensity lamp 102energized through a conductor 104. A photo detector 106 is mounted inthe opposite housing portion 108, aligned with the lamp 102; it willplace an electrical signal or pulse in an output conductor 110 when aclear fiber 30 is between lamp 102 and detector 106.

The output conductor 110 is connected to a bush 112 which progressivelyengages contacts 114 in the upper bank 116 as the reader 96 moves alongthe card.

Another brush 118 is carried as a lower extension of brush 112 and iselectrically insulated from it by an insulator 120. The lower brushsuccessively engages contacts 122 in the lower bank 124. It connectsthough a line 126 to a fixed voltage source. Contacts 122 areinterconnected by resistors 128 which comprise part of a voltage dividednetwork in which output line 130 connects into a decoder 132 foridentifying the position of the reader relative to the card.

The individual contacts 114 19 in all, corresponding to the 19light-transmitting fibers 30 in the card) are connected throughindividual wires 134 to an amplifier 136.

T0 read card 72 with the FIG. 11 apparatus, the reader 96 moves alongthe card, placing an output signal in conductor each time the lamp 102is aligned with a clear, continuous fiber 30. The darkened ends offibers 30 indicate the third, ninth, 13th and 15th fibers which do nottransmit light.

At the position shown in FIG. 11, the sixth fiber is a clear one. Thedetector 106 sees lamp 102 through the fiber. At this position, brush112 engages the sixth contact 114 in the upper bank. Brush 118 engagesthe sixth contact 122 in the lower bank. The signal in conductor 110passes through the engaged contact 114 and via its corresponding wire134 into amplifier 136 and an amplified signal is sent through line 141to the decoder 132. The amplifier is supplied with power through a line139 from power supply 138. Coincident with the signal into the decoderfrom line 141, another signal is applied to the decoder through linefrom the voltage divider circuit to identify the particular fiber 30involved.

Thus, the decoder 132 simultaneously receives two kinds of informationabout each fiber: First, its position in the card; and second, whetherit transmits light. The decoder may include a memory bank (not shown)with which it compares the signal combinations obtained from the card,and then generates an appropriate signal in line 140 into controlledapparatus 142. The latter may be an information display board, screen,or a printer for recording the information on tape, or the like.

Typically, the information obtained from the encoded card, if the latteris a credit card, for example, may be the holders identification numberand the expiration date.

Data can be stored in a card in at least two different ways.

One way of storing information is shown in FIGS. 3 and 10, in which thevarious combinations of lighted and unlighted fiber ends correspond todata in a memory bank. Each combination read from card 68 or 72 maycorrespond to a differentnumber, name, or other information. The numberof possible usable combinations of lighted and unlighted fibers isdetermined by the following formula:

where n the total number of lighted-and unlighted fibers. Using thisformula, a l6-fiber card has 65,536 different combinations possible.

Another way of storing information is shown in FIG. 4 where the fibersare arranged in groups of four, each group being coded to designate adigit in the binary numbering system. Coding is done by impairing thelight transmission through selected fibers in each group, or byselectively placing the fibers in each group.

Referring to FIG. 4, the individual fibers in each group of four fibers30 are respectively assigned values of 8," 4," 2," and 1, according tothe'binary code. Individual fibers are impaired or omitted as shown bythe darkened circles, to display the number 782193 in the six groups offibers shown. The reading device of either FIGS. 10 or 1 1 can decodethis.

This invention provides a unique means of comparing a card to a hot cardlist (stolen or expired cards). The list can be prepared as a phototransparency with the card numbers coded in as on the edge of the card.This list can then be scanned by the edge of the card or by a fiberoptic element coupling the edge of the card to the list.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are exemplary only andthat various modifications can be made in construction and arrangementwithin the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. An encoded card comprising:

a flat, laminated body having a light-transmitting core sheet integrallybonded between a pair of opaque cover sheets, said body having top andbottom cover surfaces and relatively narrow edge surfaces transverse tosaid cover surfaces and corresponding to the thickness of said body, twoof said edge surfaces being respectively light-receiving andlight-emitting edge surfaces;

said core sheet having a layer of a plurality of elongatedlight-transmitting fibers disposed in side-byside planar relationship atleast at the light receiving and emitting edge of the card and extendingbetween said light-receiving and light-emitting edge surfaces and havingtheir opposite ends exposed at said light-receiving and light-emittingedges for transmitting light from an external light source meansedgewise through said body to an external light sensing means;

at least the light-emitting ends of said light-transmitting fibers beingexposed along said lightemitting edge surface and being relativelyirregularly and fixedly spaced in a planar array, with all of the spacesbetween the light emitting ends being free of any means capable oftransmitting light in response to illumination of the entirelight-receiving edge, the irregular spacing providing information inaccordance with a predetermined code;

whereby said card can be decoded in a reader having means forsupporting'said card with said lightreceiving and light-emitting edgesurfaces respectively facing a light source means and a light sensingmeans and with said core sheet disposed in a plane in which said lightsource directs light toward said light sensing means edgewise throughsaid card, said information being displayed as an irregular linearpattern of lighted fiber ends along said light-emitting edge surface ofsaid card;

and whereby further an operator can decode said card visually by holdingsaid light-receiving edge surfaces toward a light source and visuallycomparing the pattern of lighted fiber ends along said light-emittingedge surface with a predetermined code.

2. An encoded card according to claim 1 in which said light-transmittingfibers are substantially parallel to each other.

3. An encoded card according to claim 1 in which the light-transmittingfibers are capable of transmitting light which is primarily visible.

4. An encoded card according to claim 1 in which said light-transmittingfibers are capable of transmitting light primarily in the infraredspectral region.

5. An encoded card according to claim 1 in which said light-transmittingfibers are capable of transmitting light primarily in the ultravioletspectral region. 1

. An encoded card according to claim 1 m which right filter means isprovided with said light-transmitting fibers to inhibit the transmissionof light which is primarily visible and to enable the transmission onlyof light which is primarily invisible.

7. An encoded card according to claim 1 in which said layer is comprisedof uniformly transversely spaced fiber optics fibers consisting ofoptical material, certain of said fiber optics fibers having theirlighttransmitting ability impaired in selected portions of said layeraccording to said predetermined code, said light-transmitting fiberscomprising the remaining unimpaired fiber optics fibers with their lightemitting ends irregularly spaced.

8. An encoded card according to claim 2 in which said light-transmittingfibers are straight and said lightreceiving and light-emitting edgesurfaces are at opposite sides of said card.

1. An encoded card comprising: a flat, laminated body having alight-transmitting core sheet integrally bonded between a pair of opaquecover sheets, said body having top and bottom cover surfaces andrelatively narrow edge surfaces transverse to said cover surfaces andcorresponding to the thickness of said body, two of said edge surfacesbeing respectively light-receiving and light-emitting edge surfaces;said core sheet having a layer of a plurality of elongatedlight-transmitting fibers disposed in side-by-side planar relationshipat least at the light receiving and emitting edge of the card andextending between said light-receiving and light-emitting edge surfacesand having their opposite ends exposed at said light-receiving andlight-emitting edges for transmitting light from an external lightsource means edgewise through said body to an external light sensingmeans; at least the light-emitting ends of said light-transmittingfibers being exposed along said light-emitting edge surface and beingrelatively irregularly and fixedly spaced in a planar array, with all ofthe spaces between the light emitting ends being free of any meanscapable of transmitting light in response to illumination of the entirelight-receiving edge, the irregular spacing providing information inaccordance with a predetermined code; whereby said card can be decodedin a reader having means for supporting said card with saidlight-receiving and lightemitting edge surfaces respectively facing alight source means and a light sensing means and with said core sheetdisposed In a plane in which said light source directs light toward saidlight sensing means edgewise through said card, said information beingdisplayed as an irregular linear pattern of lighted fiber ends alongsaid light-emitting edge surface of said card; and whereby further anoperator can decode said card visually by holding said light-receivingedge surfaces toward a light source and visually comparing the patternof lighted fiber ends along said light-emitting edge surface with apredetermined code.
 2. An encoded card according to claim 1 in whichsaid light-transmitting fibers are substantially parallel to each other.3. An encoded card according to claim 1 in which the light-transmittingfibers are capable of transmitting light which is primarily visible. 4.An encoded card according to claim 1 in which said light-transmittingfibers are capable of transmitting light primarily in the infraredspectral region.
 5. An encoded card according to claim 1 in which saidlight-transmitting fibers are capable of transmitting light primarily inthe ultraviolet spectral region.
 6. An encoded card according to claim 1in which right filter means is provided with said light-transmittingfibers to inhibit the transmission of light which is primarily visibleand to enable the transmission only of light which is primarilyinvisible.
 7. An encoded card according to claim 1 in which said layeris comprised of uniformly transversely spaced fiber optics fibersconsisting of optical material, certain of said fiber optics fibershaving their light-transmitting ability impaired in selected portions ofsaid layer according to said predetermined code, said light-transmittingfibers comprising the remaining unimpaired fiber optics fibers withtheir light emitting ends irregularly spaced.
 8. An encoded cardaccording to claim 2 in which said light-transmitting fibers arestraight and said light-receiving and light-emitting edge surfaces areat opposite sides of said card.